Folding canopy for caskets.



No. 789.565. PATENTED MAY 9. 1905. G. E. RICHARDS.

FOLDING CANOPY FOR GASKETS.

APPLIUATION FILED 0073.1, 1904.

2 SHEETSSHEBT 1.

Wwwwr wmp/iwzz g I m No. 789,565. PATENTED MAY 9, 1905. 0. E RIGHARDS.

FOLDING CANOPY FOR CASKET$.

APPLIUATION FILED 0011, 1904.

- 2 SHEETS-$313111 2.

w' .fl'ira'fn Patented May 9, 1905.

atrie'r trier.

FOILUIING CANOPY FUR (BASKETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,565, dated May 9, 1905.

Application filed October 1,1904. Serial No. 226,873.

To (all (1172,0711, it vim/y concern.-

Be it known that I, Ci-mninns E. RIoHAnDs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of lllinois, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Folding Canopies for Caskets, of which the following is a specification.

Canopies for caskets as heretofore eonstructed have been formed by hinging a board upon the under side of the cover of the easket and attaching the canopy-draperies to the edges of said board. \V hen the casket-cover bearing such a canopy was opened into a vertical position, the canopy-board was swung outwardly horizontally and secured, the draperies hanging from the edges of said canopyboard. Such canopies are cumbersome and unwieldy and the objections to them are nu merous. For instance, it is extremely difficult to secure the board in a horizontal posi tion. hen the board is folded against the cover, the canopy-draperies must be tucked behind the board, in which position they are hidden from view, and, furthermore, soon become mussed and disordered, and the canopyboard must be made with and as a part of the casket, necessitating carrying in stock a line of caskets fitted with canopies, as well as those without canopies.

The object of this invention is the production of a light collapsible canopy that shall overcome the objections mentioned--that is to say, a canopy that may readily be applied to any ordinary casket having a swinging cover and as readily removed therefrom, that is adjustable within reasonable limits to caskets of different lengths, that folds into small compass either in the casket or in shipping it separately therefrom, and in which when folded the canopy-drzweries hanging against the casket-cover materially enhance its beauty.

A further object of this invention is the prod notion of a canopy which is lighter, cheaper, and more easily operated than the canopy new in use.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a casket, showing my iim'n-ovcments applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a top plan view, partly in section, of the canopyfraine extended, the dotted lines in said figure showing it in a folded position. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through a casket, showing the canopy open. Fig. 4 illustrates one of the brackets by means of which the canopy is secured to the inner side of the cover of the casket. Fig. 5 is a transverse section through one of the side arms of the canopy-frame on dotted line 5 5 of Fig. 2, showing the wooden attachingstrip in position. Fig. 6 is a transverse view through one of the clamping-clips on the front rails of the canopy-frame, taken on dotted line 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view through the hinge connection between the outer ends of the side arms and the front rails. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section through the middle hinge of one of the side arms of the ca1'1o1')yframe, illustrating the means employed for limiting the movement of said hinge. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view through the hinge-joint connecting the brackets and the side arm.

In the drawings, A refers to an ordinary casket, and B to the cover, secured thereto by the usual stop-hinges.

1n the construction of a canopy embodying the features of my invention I provide a supporting-i'ramework rectangular in general outline and comprising the jointed side arms 2 and the longitudinally-adjustablc frontrails The side arms 2 com prise two links 4: and 5, connected together at their adjacent ends by means of a pivot 6, the links 5 being provided with overlapping lingers 7 for engaging the inner faces of the arms l, and thus limiting the outward pivotal movement of said links. At their inner ends the links t are pivotally connected with clip-pieces 8, each provided upon one of its faces with radial ratchet-teeth 9, centrally perforated and internally screw-threaded to receive a thum b-screw 10. Two brackets 11 are secured upon the inner side of the casket-cover B, as by screws passing through openings 12 in said brackets. Each of the brackets 11 is provided with a projecting car 13, centrally perforated to receive the thumb-screw 10, and upon its outer face said ear is provided with a tooth or projection 141, adapted to he within one of the notches formed between the ratchet-teeth 9. The pivotal movement of the links 4: with relation to the pieces 8 is limited by means of stop-lingers upon each of said pieces, adapted to engage the outer side of the links at in the pivotal movement of said links. The outer end of each of the links 5 is pivotally connected with a member 16 by means of a pin 17, said member 16 and links 5 being provided with interlacing lingers 18 to strengthen the pivotal joint between them and to limit the outward movement of said links 5.

The front rails 3 are secured rigidly within the member 16 by rivets or other suitable means. Said front rails are overlapped for a portion of their length, each being provided with a tightening-clip 19 and a bolt 20. The sides of each clip 19 extend over the edges of the two rails 3, and the bolt 20 extends through a circular opening 21 in one of said rails and an elongated opening 22 in the other rail. By this means a considerable longitudinal adjustmentof the frame is made possible.

In order to form a support for the tacks by means of which the draperies of the canopy are secured to the frame, I provide wooden strips 23, fastened in any suitable manner, as by screws, (not shown,) to the outer faces of the front rails 3 and of the side arms 2. The draperies properly arranged are secured to the frame, said draperies comprising looped portions 2a and 25 of a fabric forming such draperies.

26 is a loop attached to the front rails 3, and 27 is a stud or book fixed to the casketcover B, over which stud the loop 26 is intended to be placed to hold the canopy-frame in its folded position when the casket-cover is to be closed.

In fitting my improved canopy to a casket the canopy-frame is adjusted in length by loosening the bolts 20 and adjusting the length of the front rails 3 to suit the length of the casket. The brackets 11 are secured upon the inner face of the casket-cover B either upon the fiat surface of said cover or upon the beveled or inclined portion thereof. The arms 2 are then attached to said brackets 11 by means of the thumb-screw 10, said arms being held in a position at right angles with said cover by adjustment with relation to the brackets 11. I'Vooden strips 23 having been secured to the front rails 3, the draperies are attached to the canopy-frame and the cover B. IVhen the canopy is in use, the frame is drawn outward into the position indicated in Fig. 1. \Vhen the canopy is folded, it occupies the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

My invention is not restricted to the particular construction and arrangement of the parts herein shown, as such construction and arrangement may be changed or modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention 1. A canopy for caskets eomprisingahingejointed collapsible frame and means for securing said frame to the casket.

2. In a canopy for caskets, in combination, a collapsible frame comprising an extensible front rail; and means for securing said frame to the casket.

3. In a canopy for caskets, in combination, a collapsible frame; means for securing said frame to the cover of the casket; and means for adjusting the angular position of the frame with relation to said cover.

1. In a canopy for caskets, in combination, a canopy-frame; means for securing said frame to the cover of the casket; means for adjusting the angular position of said frame with relation to said cover.

5. In a canopy for caskets, in combination, a canopy-frame comprising a front rail and two side arms pivotally connected with said front rail; and means for securing said frame to the cover of the casket.

6. In a canopy for caskets, in combination, a canopy-frame comprising a front rail and two side arms, each foldable together upon itself, which side arms are pivotally connected with said front rails; and means for securing said frame to the cover of the casket.

7. In a canopy for caskets, in combination, a canopy-frame comprising a front rail and two side arms pivotally connected with said front rail; means for securing said side arms to the cover of the casket; and means for adjusting the position of said frame with relation to said cover.

8. In a canopy for caskets, in combination, a canopy-frame comprising an adjustable twopart front rail and two side arms pivotally connected with said front rail; and means for securing said frame to the cover of the casket.

9. In a canopy for caskets, in combination, a canopy-frame comprising an adjustable twopart front rail and two side arms pivotally connected with said front rail; a tighteningclip for said front rail; brackets for securing said side arms to the cover of the casket; and means for adjusting the angular position of the canopyframe with relation to said brackets.

10. In a canopy for caskets, in combination, a canopy-frame comprising a front rail and two folding arms pivotally connected with said front rail; and means for pivotally connecting said arms With the cover of the casket.

11. In a canopy for caskets, in combination, a canopy-frame comprising a front rail adjustable in length and tWo folding arms pivot- Wooden ch'apery-attaching strips connected ally connected with said front rail; and means with said frame.

for pivotally connecting said arms with the l cover of the c: sket.

CHARLES E. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

L. L. MILLER, M. M. DALEY.

12. In a canopy for caskets, in combination, a folding metallic frame; means for securing said frame to the cover of the casket; and 

